A local body mayor took the plunge and soaked his local body but not the mayoral chains at the annual Polar Plunge yesterday.
"Invigorating would be the word I would use," said Dave Cull, moments after exiting the St Clair surf.
The Dunedin mayor, with granddaughters Kaia (7) and Carli (2) Hutchinson, led the 200 swimmers into the water, which the MetService said was at a cool 10degC for the noon start of the body-heat-leaching event.
Mr Cull said he was pleased to support the 84th polar plunge, particularly as all proceeds went to the local St Clair Surf Life Saving Club.
Although the wet-suit-wearing mayor decided to take the plunge minus the mayoral regalia, dozens of others got into the spirit of the event by wearing fancy-dress costumes.
The shivering bikini-clad and those wearing Speedos were joined by priests, penguins, wrestlers and superheroes, with many wardrobe malfunctions in the heavy surf.
